Latest news with #LexusWrexhamOpen
Leader Live
2 days ago
- Sport
- Leader Live
From Wimbledon to Wrexham for Welsh tennis star Mimi!
Welsh tennis star Mimi Xu set to play at Lexus Wrexham Open - but first it's all about the championships at SW19. Rising star Mimi Xu, the first Welsh player to feature in the Wimbledon Championships singles main draw for 20 years, is set to entertain tennis fans at the Wrexham Open later this year. Swansea-born Xu, 17, has received a wildcard into next week's Wimbledon main draw as she continues to move up the world rankings. It follows an impressive start to the grass court season for the Welsh teenager. Xu has enjoyed notable wins in WTA-level events at Nottingham, Ilkley and Birmingham, where she beat number one seed Alycia Parks, a player ranked just outside the world's top 50. Dave Courteen, the event promoter for the Lexus Wrexham Open, said it would be great for the crowd at the city's new ITF World Tennis Tour event to have a Welsh player to support on court. The biggest women's tennis tournament in the UK this year, outside of the grass court season, will be played at Wrexham Tennis & Padel Centre between October 19-26. Courteen said: 'It's wonderful to see Mimi Xu playing so well, climbing the rankings, and also now becoming the first Welsh player in Wimbledon's main draw since Rebecca Llewellyn in 2005, which is something to be really proud of. "I'm told that Mimi is looking forward to playing at Wrexham in October as it will be the first chance she's had to play in a professional tournament in her home country. 'She is really excited about playing in Wrexham, fitness permitting, and it will be fantastic for local tennis fans to have such a talented Welsh player to support.' He added: "The Lexus Wrexham Open has replaced the Lexus W100 Shrewsbury in the LTA Performance Competitions Calendar for 2025, and Mimi had a great time at last year's event in Shrewsbury. 'Not only did she team up with Amelia Rajecki to win the doubles title, Mimi also reached the quarter-finals of the singles with her run ended by Sonay Kartal, the eventual champion, who is now in the world's top 50. 'It's no surprise that lots of people are very excited about Mimi's potential after rising to a career-high 318 in the world rankings following some excellent results. 'We wish her well as she prepares to play in her first Grand Slam event at Wimbledon, and look forward to welcoming Mimi to Wrexham later in the year.' The Lexus Wrexham Open is set to feature leading British and international stars, including players ranked in the world's top 100, with stands, able to accommodate up to 800 spectators, assembled next to the courts. Tickets, which start from £7.50 and £3.50 for under-16s, and include a 44-page tournament programme, can be purchased online at
Leader Live
14-06-2025
- Sport
- Leader Live
MS for North Wales speaks about sporting success in Wrexham
MS for North Wales It's great news that the one of the biggest women's tennis tournaments in the United Kingdom is coming to Wrexham later this year. The Lexus Wrexham Open will take place in October at Wrexham Tennis and Padel Centre, with players from around the UK and the rest of the world. It's the first time that the competition is being held in North Wales, and it really is a brilliant opportunity for people in our area to watch some top-class sport and support the Centre. Tickets start from £7.50 for adults and £3.50 for under-16s, with 800 seats available for each day of the competition. They're already on sale, so I'd definitely encourage you to snap those tickets up and enjoy some live sport! I particularly hope that the Wrexham Open will inspire the next generation. It's important for young people to have access to occasions like this, and it's perfectly situated right on our doorstep. Even if young people don't go on to hit the sporting heights of Andy Murray or Emma Raducanu, it's important for them to be active. Not only is it essential for physical health, it has great mental health benefits too. This applies to adults and older people as well. The most recent Wales Activity Tracker (a regular survey run by Sport Wales) found that 49% of adults in Wales participate in physical activity 2 to 4 days a week. I am sure we can improve those numbers, and it's essential to the future of the country that we do so. I would argue that attracting quality sporting events to Wales can motivate and inspire people to pick up a tennis racket or cricket bat, put on their football boots or running shoes and get moving. There's no doubt that the Open will boost Wrexham's reputation for professional sport and hosting major events. The outstanding success of Wrexham AFC is well known around the world, and this tournament will further underline why Wrexham and North Wales more broadly is a great place to host events. I certainly hope to see more in future, and I regularly call on the Welsh Government to prioritise North Wales as a destination location for these high-quality events. If you'd like to get in touch, then you can drop me a line at
Leader Live
10-06-2025
- Automotive
- Leader Live
Tickets are now on sale for huge Wrexham tennis event
The Lexus Wrexham Open - the biggest women's tennis tournament, outside of the grass court season, in the UK this year - will take place at Wrexham Tennis & Padel Centre. Played on the indoor courts at the Plas Coch Road venue between October 19-26, the event is set to feature leading British and international stars, including players ranked in the world's top 100. Tournament promoter Dave Courteen said: 'We are really excited that tickets are now available to buy online from the newly-launched tournament website. 'We have been delighted by the response from the local community since announcing this fantastic tournament is coming to North Wales for the first time. 'It's an ITF World Tennis Tour W100 event, a very high level, and some of the players heading to Wrexham to play will have competed in the French Open at Roland Garros in recent weeks.' Ticket prices, which include a 44-page tournament programme, start from £7.50 for adults and £3.50 for under-16s, with finals day tickets to enjoy both the singles and doubles finals costing £22.50 and £17.50 respectively. A tournament pass to watch all matches throughout the week, priced £67.50 for adults and £47.50 for under-16s, is also available. The Wrexham Open has replaced the Lexus W100 Shrewsbury - which was won last year by rising British star Sonay Kartal - in the LTA Performance Competitions Calendar for 2025. It is the highest-level tennis tournament in Wales since the Rover British Clay Court Championships in Cardiff in 1996. Tickets for the Lexus Wrexham Open can be purchased online at
Leader Live
23-04-2025
- Sport
- Leader Live
Tennis star Mel South backs Lexus Wrexham Open tournament
Mel South, who was ranked in the world's top 100 during her own playing days and also represented Great Britain in the Fed Cup, now known as the Billie Jean King Cup, was a guest at the official launch of the Lexus Wrexham Open. The event will be the biggest women's tennis tournament to be played in the UK this year, outside of the Lawn Tennis Association's grass court season, and will take place at Wrexham Tennis & Padel Centre from October 19-26. 'It's a really exciting tournament, a great level,' said South, who lives in South Wales and is now a television tennis commentator. 'I think it's great for the British players to have home support at W100 level. They can really use it as a platform to drive themselves on and go up into the WTA events. 'The fact that the tournament is coming to Wrexham now and spurs on all the players and the youngsters in Wales as well will be really important. 'The more people we can get to come and watch the tournament, to see live sport, the better. 'You get so close to the players at these type of events. Playing at home you always connect with the fans more, especially when you're signing autographs for the kids, so it can really inspire the next generation to go on and do well and follow in your footsteps.' The Lexus Wrexham Open will feature established players from the world's top 100 who play at Wimbledon and the other Grand Slam tournaments, alongside rising British and international stars. Kirsty Thomson, event manager at the LTA, added: 'It's really exciting and this level of event just tops off our performance competition calendar. 'This event really helps our younger players that don't get an opportunity normally with their current ranking to be able to qualify for a tournament at this level. 'We will be able to maybe give them the chance of getting a wild card into it and to have the opportunity to gain some valuable ranking points and prize money, so it's really helpful.' Alwyn Jones, interim chief executive of Wrexham Council, is looking forward to welcoming the tournament to the city. 'It's a wonderful opportunity for Wrexham, for us to show everything that's best about Wrexham,' he said. 'To have an international event of this nature within Wrexham helps well and truly add to Wrexham being on the map.' The official launch event for the Lexus Wrexham Open, held at the city's Ramada Plaza hotel, was hosted by event promoter Dave Courteen. He told guests, including sponsors from the local business community, what they can expect from the tournament and some of the many ways they can get involved. 'This will be a wonderful event for Wrexham and Wales,' he said. 'The whole week will be an exciting festival of tennis and there is so much to look forward to in October. We are delighted to be bringing world-class tennis to North Wales. 'It was fantastic to see so many people at the launch event and nice to hear just how much everyone is looking forward to the tournament.' A 600-seat capacity arena will be constructed around the main indoor show court at Wrexham Tennis & Padel Centre to allow spectators to enjoy the action.
